Tampa, FL – David Desharnais was credited with the winner in the shootout, and the Montreal Canadiens blew a three-goal lead but recovered to top Tampa Bay, 4-3, on Tuesday.
Brian Gionta, P.K. Subban and Travis Moen scored in regulation for the Canadiens, who snapped a three-game skid.
Carey Price stopped 21 shots, as well as all three Bolts' chances in the shootout, for the win.
"We were almost perfect for 54 minutes. We opened the door. We will learn from it," Montreal head coach Michel Therrien said.
Victor Hedman tallied twice and Sami Salo once for the Lightning, who have lost five in a row. Anders Lindback made 31 saves in defeat.
"In the third period, our character showed up, again," Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher said. "We have to build on a positive. That's extremely positive."
None of the first three skaters registered a score in the shootout, but Desharnais closed out the second round by beating Lindback with a wrist shot through the five-hole. Price then locked up the win for Montreal by stopping Steven Stamkos.
Gionta lit the lamp on a late first-period power play, coming with only 43 seconds remaining in the opening stanza, when he tapped in a cross-crease feed by Tomas Plekanec.
Subban doubled Montreal's advantage with 8:21 gone in the second period, then Moen added his first of the season for a three-goal bulge with 1:06 left in the second.
Hedman produced the first offense for the hosts, re-directing a Tom Pyatt slap pass by Price with 5:56 remaining in regulation, then tallied once more with 1:43 on the final clock to make it 3-2.
When Plekanec was sent off for tripping in the final 64 seconds of regulation, Lindback was pulled for an extra attacker and the Bolts made it count when Salo cranked home his first of the year to tie the score at 3-3 with 44 seconds to play.
Game Notes
Montreal improved to 1-1 in shootouts this season, while Tampa Bay dropped its initial shootout of 2013 ... These clubs split four matchups a season ago ... Prior to the contest, the Lightning revealed that forward Ryan Malone will miss 3-to-4 weeks after suffering an unspecified lower-body injury prior to Sunday's loss to the New York Rangers.
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